Topic: Are updates needed?

[chili]

Hi,
    I have a question to post. I'm not sure if this question will get me flamed but whatever... I have a server running at a customers business.. it runs great, I do not use any of the internet related features (email, http, proxy etc..) so are updates really needed? The server NEVER crashes, it runs for months on end without reboots and there are no plans to ever use it on the internet. So do you think leaving it frozen in time without updates is ok? considering everything works great and doesn't appear to have any bugs. Let me know what you guys think.. and remember NOT CONNECTED TO INTERNET 24/7.

[calisun]

There are three types of updates, security updates, bug fixes and new components.

(security updates) The biggest issue on a server is security, but since your server is never connected to the internet, you don't have to worry about security.

(bug fixes) If you have a version of SME that does not have a bug in the functions that you use, you should be fine. I still know people that use SME 6 without problems.
 
(new components) If you just use it as  file server, you will not need most of the updates. You might have an issue sometime in the future when the office upgrades their computers  with latest OS (windows, mac) that might require new features. But I don't think you have to worry about that for a while.

So in conclusion, if security is not an issue, than don't worry.

[CharlieBrady]

(security updates) The biggest issue on a server is security, but since your server is never connected to the internet, you don't have to worry about security.

That's certainly not completely true. Many studies have shown a high proportion of security breaches are internal (i.e. from local users).

(new components) If you just use it as  file server, you will not need most of the updates. You might have an issue sometime in the future when the office upgrades their computers  with latest OS (windows, mac) that might require new features. But I don't think you have to worry about that for a while.

Recent updates have corrected problems with file server access from Windows XP and Windows Vista clients.